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Spindle bolt seized and broke...

Took my car in to Independent shop for a front wheel bearing and installation of my new front shocks..Wheel Bearing was
covered under my extended warrenty. So Out of pocket for installation of shocks, wheel bearing and wheel alignment.. $581.. Not bad.. While removing the spindle pinch bolt, it snaps.. (both driver and passenger side) On top of the price before he tacks on another $975. for new used spindles and front and rear upper control arms...Does this sound correct?? Think im getting screwed.I told him that the bolt snaps often and with heat and airtool your able to get bolt out.. He claims not possible. I told him not to touch anything yet..How should i presue this? He already sourced used spindles at $135. each and claims he can not return..

You're getting screwed. If they can't remove the pinch bolt THEY SHOULDN'T BE WORKING ON YOUR CAR. The fact that 99% of us can do it in our driveways with no special tools means they're doing something wrong.

Ad that same probleme last week.i work in a vw dealer and one side bolt was jamed the tech heated the knokle not the bolt...the knokle abd with a zip gun took out the bolt.i know that the knokle is made of aluminium and every body says its not good to heat them up but if you becarful and dont heat till it melts lol your find....good luck...and if they cant do it bring your ride to a true vw/audi antusiast tech or mechanic

I've drilled out the pinch bolts before without removing the spindle, it took about an hour and a few ruined drill bits to drill through 3 inches of steel. Buying new spindles is not necessary. If it came down to it you can remove the lower control arms with a ball joint separator (which he should own) and the shock tower and put the thing in a drill press which makes drilling out the bolts MUCH easier. If he bought new spindles he has to remove the old ones anyway.

IMO take it to a new shop. If they are seized in place you can drive it a few miles without worrying about it falling out because it wont. He should have known better and heated up the bolt first because its very prone to galvanic corrosion if you have aluminum spindles. Also if you are buying new upper control arms you can heat the hell out of the pinch bolt and not worry about melting the ball joint boots, so this means you don't have to take out the spindles at all. If the bolt sheared you can still put the nut on the other end and heat it, then tighten the nut and it will break it free. Heat is your friend.

I've drilled out the pinch bolts before without removing the spindle, it took about an hour and a few ruined drill bits to drill through 3 inches of steel. Buying new spindles is not necessary. If it came down to it you can remove the lower control arms with a ball joint separator (which he should own) and the shock tower and put the thing in a drill press which makes drilling out the bolts MUCH easier. If he bought new spindles he has to remove the old ones anyway.

IMO take it to a new shop. If they are seized in place you can drive it a few miles without worrying about it falling out because it wont. He should have known better and heated up the bolt first because its very prone to galvanic corrosion if you have aluminum spindles. Also if you are buying new upper control arms you can heat the hell out of the pinch bolt and not worry about melting the ball joint boots, so this means you don't have to take out the spindles at all. If the bolt sheared you can still put the nut on the other end and heat it, then tighten the nut and it will break it free. Heat is your friend.

Just to clarify, you want to apply heat to the knuckle and not the bolt, aluminum will take less heat and expand more then the bolt, if you heat the bolt it will expand casuing it to sieze even more. Mk2rimar is right even though he cant spell, lol.